No trader groans, no shop destroyed by flood at Ogbaru Main Market – Market Leader
By Polycarp Ifeanyi
Following the recent report in thedailyvendor.com online news captioned “Traders Groan As Flood Destroys 100 Shops worth N100m In Anambra Market,” the caretaker Chairman of Ogbaru Main Market, Chief Ndubuisi Ochiogu has dismissed such incidence and described it as malicious report.
Fielding questions from newsmen, the Market leader stated that flood did not destroy any lock-up store or warehouse in the Market.
The market leader pointed that if such menace occurred in the market, he would have been the first person to raise alarm or the victims would have reported such incident to him.
” I am the Chairman of the market. How can such disaster occur without my knowledge? It is incredible. I was dumbfounded when I read the report. The fact remains that, there was down pour but no lock- up store or any warehouse was submerged as was reported in thedailyvendor.com online news.”
Ochiogu recalled that he embarked on construction of water channels and drainages in the market immediately he assumed duty as the care-taker Chairman and wondered how flood would submerge traders’ wares in the Market without his knowledge or the victims to reporting to the Market leaders.
He however, alleged that such report was only deliberately fabricated by people who thinks that his administration is gaining more popular and wanted to instigate crises in the market by all means.
” Well, all these allegations is to make me stronger and wiser. These people are those who ruled Ogbaru main market without creating any positive impact and they wanted to come back again.
“My achievements are verifiable, I constructed water channels and drainages immediately I assumed office. I installed Solar Lights in the Market, rehabilitated bore hole which was neglected by several leaders in the, fixed security van and solidified the Market security outfits which has stopped burglary incidents in the market.”
He reiterated that elections in Ogbaru Main Market are determined by the Board of Trustees, Patrons and Line Chairmen and Secretaries, adding that since the inception of the Market, no election has held during Ember Months because the market traders predominantly deals on provision and food items.
Commenting, the general Secretary of the Market, Mr. Buckuno Agu revealed that no flood destroyed any trader’s store or warehouse. He stated that though the market faced numerous challenge of flooding, it became a thing of the past after the Market leader, Ochiogu, came into power and constructed all water channels inside the Market including the Obodoukwu road that controlled all the flood.
” I do not know how they figured 100 stores which they said was destroyed by flood. I sense they are political opposition in the Market who wants to take power at all cost. Even at that, no meaningful trader would call for election in the market now that the State is trying to elect a new Governor.
“Those who are clamouring for election in the Market now are opposition elements of the government. Every Market leaders now is working hard for the election of a new governor and besides, Ogbaru Main Market never conducted elections in the Ember Months. Election holds any time next year,” He posited.
Meanwhile, when www.odogwublog.com visited Ogbaru Main market, traders were busy transacting their businesses while those who responded to interviews and pleaded anonymity testified that there was down pour but no store or warehouse was destroyed by flood.
